Powerpoint VBA Make duplicated shape view active to select for grouping - vba

Question

I have a library of eight images on my PowerPoint slide. Based on a userform input, some of the components get duplicated and renamed by adding a "1" or "2" after the original image's name so that they are differentiable. I then want to group the new images (I am building up an item from the component images). I am able to duplicate the images and line them up correctly, but I am having trouble grouping them. Note that I am not always grouping the same number of items, it is dependent on user inputs.
I receive the error "Shape (unknown member): Invalid request. To select a shape, its view must be active."
I searched and attempted to implement several strategies from the help forums but am coming up empty.
PLEASE HELP!!!
-Kevin
Part of code below because it is very long, but this is where my first problem arises:
Dim Cargo As Shape, Cargo_Dup as Shape, Chemical as Shape, Chemical_Dup as Shape
Set Cargo = ActivePresentation.Slides(2).Shapes("Cargo")
Set Chemical = ActivePresentation.Slides(2).Shapes("Chemical")
Cargo.Name = "Cargo"
Chemical.Name = "Chemical"
With ActivePresentation
Set Cargo_Dup = ActivePresentation.Slides(2).Shapes("Cargo")
With Cargo_Dup.Duplicate
.Name = "Cargo_1st"
.Left = 0
.Top = 540
End With
'CHEMICAL
If Input1 = "Chemical" Then
Set Chemical_Dup = ActivePresentation.Slides(2).Shapes("Chemical")
With Chemical_Dup.Duplicate
.Name = "Chemical" & 1
.Left = 36.74352
.Top = 540 + 0.36
End With
'''''WHERE PROBLEM ARISES'''''
ActivePresentation.Slides(2).Shapes("Cargo_1st").Select
ActivePresentation.Slides(2).Shapes("Chemical1").Select msoFalse
Set Vehicle = ActiveWindow.Selection.ShapeRange.Group
Vehicle.Name = "Vehicle"
'Elseif with a bunch for options where addition grouping occurs

Answer 1

I need some kind of keyboard macro to type this for me:
Never select anything unless you absolutely have to.
You nearly never absolutely have to.
You're asking how to make a view active so that you can select something.
I figure that's the wrong question.
It's more useful to know how to work with shapes WITHOUT having to select them.
Grouping shapes w/o selecting them is a bit tricky, but it can be done.
Here's an example of how you might go about this:
Sub GroupWithoutSelecting()
Dim oSl As Slide
Dim oSh As Shape
Dim aShapes() As String
Set oSl = ActivePresentation.Slides(2) ' or whichever slide you like
ReDim aShapes(1 To 1)
With oSl
For Each oSh In .Shapes
If oSh.Type <> msoPlaceholder Then ' can't group placeholders
' Substitute the real condition you want to use
' for selecting shapes to be grouped here
If oSh.Type = msoAutoShape Then
' add it to the array
aShapes(UBound(aShapes)) = oSh.Name
ReDim Preserve aShapes(1 To UBound(aShapes) + 1)
End If
End If
Next
' eliminate the last (empty) element in the array
ReDim Preserve aShapes(1 To UBound(aShapes) - 1)
' Create a shaperange from the array members and group the shaperange
.Shapes.Range(aShapes).Group
End With ' oSl
End Sub